Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N - Orange Nation Peru

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu with PISAC Ruins- 4 Days

4 Days

From

597

/ Per Person

The 4 days Lares trek to Machu Picchu trekking route is the most scenic and culturally enhancing trail you will ever experience. Our four-day trek through the Lares Valley to Machu Picchu takes you to isolated villages, spectacular snow covered mountain peaks, with prestine lakes, rivers and streams snaking their way through the most tranquil and serene places in the Andes Mountains. What makes this trek the most unique and special is your encounters with indigenous communities, a truly culturally enriching experience, that can only be exclusively experienced on this amazing trail. Learn about the Inca culture from their decedents, who still maintain their ancestor’s way if life, herding llamas and alpacas, weaving and farming using ancient technics and using the star constellation to guide their planting and harvesting seasons.

Our unique 4 days Lares Trek will include the guided tour in Pisac Inca ruins and also you can recharge energies right after your hike ends, in the Lares Hot Springs, where the natural medicinal waters will renew you, Orange Nation has the best cultural trekking route.

This trek will enhance your visual senses and take you back to a time when life was as simple as could be.

Service Level:

Spacious and luxurious camping facilities. Private chef for the group. Emergency horse. Exclusive modern vehicles with private driver.

Difficulty:

A moderate to challenging hike. Sufficient acclimatization and pre-trek training is highly recommended. One of the more moderate alternative trails to Machu Picchu.

Travel Style:

Adventure, Hike, train, camping, 1 night mid-tier hotel (option to upgrade) and shuttle bus

Group Size

Small group experience; Max 12, Avg 4..

Full Itinerary

Our Cultural trek to Machu Picchu will start with the pick up at your hotel at 5 am, and then we will drive in our private van towards the Sacred Valley, taking the direct route to Pisac Town. Our first stop is on the way to have a classic view of the Sacred Valley with crops dressing the mountains in terraces. Then we will arrive at the archaeological site of Pisac where you will discover the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 5000 tombs. You will admire the incredible farming terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important Inca city.

After exploring the Pisac archaeological site, we will drive to Calca where we stop to visit the local market and buy the last supplies for our adventure trek

Then we will drive to Huaran, where we will meet your horsemen and horses. Time to get ready, boots on and begin our first 3 hours gradually ascending towards Cancha Cancha. Along the way, your lunch will be served next to the river, replenishing your energy for the trek ahead with a delicious meal prepared by your trekking chef.

Cancha Cancha (3,900m/12,800ft) is one of the most isolated and traditional communities, self-sustaining as it has been for hundreds of years. There is no road to the community and they were recently connected to electricity. After settling into your tents and having afternoon tea, you will have the opportunity to visit a local family. You will learn all about life in a traditional Andean village, with your guide as your interpreter.

After dinner, your guide will show you the Inca constellations on which they depended for their agricultural guidance and still do today.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities with bathroom building
Distance: 9kms / 5.6 miles
Time: 6hrs approximately
Difficulty: Moderate

Your guide will wake you up with a hot mug of tea or coffee to enjoy before you get up for breakfast. Feeling all revved up to begin our second day, we will start our 7 hour hike northeast. It starts out as an intense walk, accomplishing high passes on our way to the highest point of our trek at Pachacutec Pass (4,500m /14,800 ft). Motivating you along the trail for this intense part of the trek will be the views of glaciers, remote lakes, alpaca herds, rugged valleys and spectacular mountain vistas. Keep your eyes on the sky for the Caracara falcons and Andean geese!

After enjoying the summit, we will descend for 3 hours until we reach our campsite located by the Quiswarani community, (3,700m/12,139ft). On the way, we will be taking an isolated trail where we will see indigenous highland people in their traditional outfits herding their llamas and alpacas. The local indigenous people will interact with you in Quechua (the Incas’ language). Your guide will act as your interpreter to translate and teach you some Quechua. When you arrive at the spectacular seven waterfalls, you are almost to the campsite!

At the campsite, everything will be ready. Enjoy hot drinks and appetizers before dinner, then snuggle in for a comfortable night sleep.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities with bathroom building
Distance: 12kms / 7.5 miles
Time: 7 to 8hrs approximately
Difficulty: challenge

Your adventure continues as you begin the most scenic day yet! We will begin our ascent for 3 hours until we reach the Willqaqasa Pass, (4,200m/13,779ft) getting a bird’s eye view of the reflections of the mountains in mirror images in the glacial lakes. The majestic Colquecruz and Pitusiray Mountains are inspiring and we can admire them from the pass. We will continue our trek through the Puna grasslands, productive agricultural sites and natural pristine lakes. Later we will descend for 2 hours to the Cucani community. Connecting with the local indigenous children, you may have the opportunity to visit their school and share in some quality time with the students.

Once in Cuncani we will meet our driver and ride down through lush valleys with extensive agricultural areas, fruit bearing trees, varied flora and native flowers like begonias and wild orchids. Finally, we will reach our destination, the Lares Hot Springs (3,100m/ 10,170ft), where we will be able to soak in the natural volcanic hot springs for an hour, have lunch and relax. This will be the time for our goodbyes for our remarkable chef and horsemen.

After lunch in Lares, we will take our private transport to 2.5 hours Ollantaytambo, where we will have dinner and then we will take the train to Aguas Calientes. Where we are going to spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Ferre Hotel or similar
Distance:15kms/ 9.3 miles
Time: 4 hrs approximately
Difficulty: Moderate

After an early breakfast at your hotel, we will join the queue for the bus up to Machu Picchu at 5:30am, just in time to witness the sunrise. Somehow even better than the pictures, this mystical site is the pinnacle of many travelers trips to Peru.

You will watch as the sun creeps over the mountains, and as the morning light glances off the peaks that surround you, your guided tour of the citadel will begin. The tour will share many important parts of the citadel with you, and will last for roughly 2 hours.

If you have booked an additional hike- either to Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu, you will be able to climb the peak after the tour has finished. When you have had your fill of the citadel, head back down to Aguas Calientes on one of the waiting shuttle buses.

Once you arrive back in the town, grab some lunch (not included), and explore the market, visit the hot springs, or simply treat yourself to a happy hour until your scheduled train departure.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, and the tracks follow the spectacular Urubamba River. Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station, taking you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private van. You can expect to arrive at your hotel at around 7:00pm.

Meal: Breakfast
Difficulty: Easy

****Huayna Picchu, the ‘Young Mountain’ in Quechua is known for being part of the vast majority of the panoramic photos of Machu Picchu citadel. Climbing Huayna Picchu, you may see some archaeological sites, including the Temple of the Moon that the Incas built in a natural cave. At the top of Huayna Picchu, there are small terraces and some buildings that were a part of an astronomical observatory and is a point of guardianship to the citadel.

*** Machu Picchu Mountain is above the Sacred City of Machu Picchu with breathtaking views of Machu Picchu, a unique sight like no other place in the world. The Quechua name translates to ‘Old Mountain.’ Machu Picchu Mountain’s summit was used by Inca priests to perform rituals high above their sacred citadel!

WHAT IS INCLUDED FOR THE 4 DAY LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU?

Transfer from the airport to hotel
Private transportation
Local Licensed guide fluent in English, Spanish and Quechua
Exclusive access to our private swimming pool and sauna at the Veronica View Hotel
Round trip train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and a transfer back to Cusco
2 Bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and return to Aguas Calientes
Admission ticket to the Machu Picchu Archaeological Complex
Private guided tour in Machu Picchu for 2 hours
Hotel with private bathroom, hot shower, wifi, storage and buffet breakfast included
4 person EUREKA tent for every 2 trekkers
Comfortable foam sleeping pad and camping pillow
Delicious gourmet meals at camp
Chef and cooking equipment, dining tent, cooking tent and toilet tent
Horseman and mules, to carry all camping and personal equipment (7 kgs of your personal items such as extra clothes, sleeping bag will be carried by our mules)
Provision of a horse in case of emergency – In case of illness, to ensure trek can be completed by all participants
First-aid kit, including emergency oxygen tank
Boiled water to fill your bottles
Interaction with the local kids and community people
Backpack rain cover

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED FOR THE LARES TREK?

Sleeping Bag –$20 USD per person per trek (They are steam cleaned after every trek)
Air Mattress –$20 USD per person per trek (Therm-a-rest mattresses)
Walking Poles –$15 USD per pair per trek (Professional Poles that can be extended)
Personal tent -$30 USD – (It applies ONLY for single traveler, Please request when you book your trek)
Vistadome Train Upgrade -$57 USD per person (Return Only )
Huayna Picchu Mountainn -$75 USD per person (Please request when you book your Trek)
Lunch on the last day in Aguas Calientes
Single supplement for standard hotel: $35USD per night (for solo travelers with single room)

The best Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is available on any date that its best for you.

Price without hotel	$ 577USD p/p
*3 Hotel**	$597 USD
*4 Hotel**	$697USD

***Minimum 2 persons required to open up a new group – solo trekkers may join an existing group.
*** This price includes the extra pack horse which will carry your belongings up to 7 kgs, guided tour in and we will provide you with a duffel bag.
***We provide large Eureka 4 person tents for each 2 trekkers.

OPTIONAL UPGRADES:

VISTADOME TRAIN: $57 USD per person (Return Only)
La Cabaña Hotel: $60 USD per person
Tierra Viva Hotel: $90 USD per person
El Mapi Hotel: $120 USD

DISCOUNTS

Under 11 years old: $40 USD. Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
Group of 5 or more: $30 USD. – All you need is to book the trek together at the same time.

EXTRAS

Sleeping Bag –$20 USD per person per trek (They are steam cleaned after every trek)
Air Mattress –$20 USD per person per trek (Therm-a-rest mattresses)
Walking Poles –$15 USD per pair per trek (Professional Poles that can be extended)
Personal Tent -$30 USD – (Tent is for solo trekkers only)
Additional Night in Aguas Calientes – From $60 USD (depending on availability)
Vistadome Train Upgrade -$57 USD per person
Huayna Picchu Mountain -$75 USD per person (Please request when you book your Trek)
Single supplement for standard hotel: $40 USD per night (for solo travelers with single room)

ADDED VALUES FOR FREE

TRANSFER – from the Airport to Hotel (Cusco Only)
DUFFEL BAG AND LINER BAGS – included in the trekking price
EXTRA PORTER is included in the price, the porter will carry your belongings up to 7 kgs/15p like sleeping bag, mattress, clothes etc
BOILED WATER is included along the Lares Trek Machu Picchu
OXYGEN TANK will be available along the Lares Trek Machu Picchu
EMERGENCY HORSE is included in the price which can be ridden if you get tired or sick
CAMPING PILLOW
PLASTIC RAIN PONCHO
GUIDED TOUR OF MARAS SALINERAS: Enjoy and explore the amazing Pre-Inca site, one of the famous in the Sacred Valley
BEST ITINERARY operated by Lares Trek Machu Picchu specialist only
extra blanket for the tent are included in the trek price!

WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH YOU FOR LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU

Original Passport (it has to be the same you have used for booking your trek)
Valid University card (if you booked as a student)
Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
Water storage: 2-3L (Please bring reusable, not disposable bottles)
Comfortable hiking boots with ankle support
Sleeping bag (can be rented from Orange)
Headlamp: essential
Toilet paper

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR DUFFEL BAG FOR LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU

As a Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra pack horse which will carry up to 7 kgs or 14lbs including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing.

2 t-shirts
2 hiking pants at least
4 sets of undergarments
3 sets of hiking socks
Bathing Suit for the thermal waters
Fleece/ Thermals
Warm clothes, down jacket — 2nd campsite temp around 3º C
Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
Comfortable shoes for camp
Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might prefer something larger
Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to wash
Battery Charger: No electricity along the trek
Large plastic bags will be provided at the office — Please ask for them
Sleeping bag: It has to be at least -15ºC – This can be rented from us

TOILETRIES

Face moisturizer
Hand sanitizer
Wet wipes
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Personal medications
First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR BACKPACK FOR LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU

We highly recommend a small backpack 30L to 40L for hiking in the day. The rangers s will not allow you to enter Machu Picchu with a big backpack. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.

Water: Please supply your own water until the first lunch spot, then we will provide you with cold boiled water at every meal time.
Sun Hat
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Headlamp: essential
Wool Hat
Rain gear
Fleece
Snacks like chocolate bars, cereal bars or any dry fruits
Coca leaves
Rain plastic poncho (provided by ORANGE)
Gloves
Camera
Hand sanitizer
Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu with PISAC Ruins- 4 Days

From

597

/ Per Person

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Why travel with Orange Nation Peru?

We have become the leaders in small group adventure travel over the past three decades by consistently listening to our travelers and delivering what they desire: adaptable itineraries, the freedom to explore, smaller group sizes, safety and peace of mind, and knowledgeable local guides who provide unique insights into the destination that would be missed through any other means of travel.

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Discover why thousands of people around the world trust us to explore the best of Peru.

Travelers' Choice
2025

5.0

Jaffet hasan c

The guys were very efficient throughout the trip and attentive when we arrived at the campsite. The kitchen service was super delicious , the food quality and healthy, dishes suitable for people (vegans) and a buffet that has nothing to envy others.
Their kindness and efficiency are greatly appreciated for this journey to the Inca Way.

Written June 22, 2025

Friends

Glen

We had a great experience doing the 4d3n Inca Trail. Our porters were so hard working and made sure our tents and equipment were always ready for us. The chef Mario was outstanding and prepared restaurant quality vegetarian food everyday. Our guide Carlos made the trip exceptional, always making sure we were informed and making sure we were all enjoying the trail. He went above and beyond to encourage me when I was unwell. He made the trip the best ever. A beautiful and wonderful trek.

Written July 14, 2025

Family

Kendall C

Hiking the Short Inca Trail was hands-down one of the highlights of my entire trip to Peru. This trek is the perfect option if you want a taste of the iconic Inca Trail without committing to the full 4-day hike.

From the moment we started the hike at KM 104 Carlos our guide was amazing and patient. we were surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, lush cloud forests, and fascinating Inca ruins. The trail itself is moderately challenging—expect a steady incline, stone steps, and a bit of cardio—but it’s absolutely doable for anyone with a decent fitness level. The sense of accomplishment when you reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) and get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu is

Written July 8, 2025

Couples

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